Sonic Boom Simulation Chamber

During the 1960s NASA sponsored research into the effect of sonic booms on human subjects. This was in response to growing concern about "the nature of the boom phenomena" as supersonic aircraft were flying with increasing frequency. Shown in the picture is one subject (unidentified) about to be locked inside the "Sonic Boom Simulation Chamber."

I like the juxtaposition of the prim-and-proper woman and the massive audio system. Unfortunately there aren't any pictures of what she looked like after being repeatedly blasted with simulated sonic booms.

The image comes from NASA Contractor Report CR-1192, "Relative Annoyance and Loudness Judgments of Various Simulated Sonic Boom Waveforms."

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 20, 2008
Category: Science | Experiments | Technology

Comments

I bet she was an innocent secretary and they didn't tell her what she was in for. Or they told her it would be a great hiding place from the butt-grabbing boss....

Posted by BikerPuppy on 08/20/08 at 01:33 PM

I too, Alex, would like to see the young woman after she has been boomed, sonically. Imagine her getting out: visibly shaken, eyes wide, face pale, hair and clothes all out of place from the violence of her sudden convulsive reaction. Disoriented, she staggers a bit while shouting at someone to answer the million telephones in the next room.

Posted by kingmonkey in Athens, Ontario on 08/21/08 at 01:45 PM

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